. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/LIC/N/3/COL/8 
19 April 2010 
 
 (10-1987) 
Committee on Import Licensing Original:   Spanish 
  
 
REPLIES TO THE QUESTIONNAIRE ON  IMPORT LICENSING PROCEDURES
1 
 
Notification Under Article 7.3 of the Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures  
 
COLOMBIA 
 
  The import licensing system in Colombia, the details of which were notified in 
document G/LIC/N/3/COL/6 and reconfirmed in docu ment G/LIC/N/3/COL/7, remain valid for 2010 
with the exception of changes introduced in connec tion with the clearance of the goods and with fees 
and extensions in the case of both automatic and non-automatic licences. 
  Accordingly, replies 7(b), 12 and 14 (paragraph 3) in both the automatic licensing and the non-automatic licensing sections should read as follows:  
I. AUTOMATIC LICENSING 
7. (b) If goods arrive at a port without an im port registration, the importer may apply for 
one to the MCIT Directorate of Foreign Trade, on his own account and under his own responsibility.  Once the import registration has been obtained, the goods must be cleared within one month of their arrival.
2  Otherwise, the importer must opt for 
re-exportation, abandonment or legalization, as provided in the customs legislation 
(Decree 2685 of 1999). 
 12. A fee of approximately US$15 is charged for electronic import registrations.  Users wishing 
to access the Single Window for Fo reign Trade (VUCE) for the firs t time must purchase the necessary 
software at an annual price of three minimum mont hly wages.  Yearly renewal of the service costs 
1.5 minimum monthly wages.  The MCIT Directorat e of Foreign Trade publishes a circular notifying 
the value of the minimum monthly wage for the purpose of purchasing or renewing the software. 
 14. (Paragraph 3)   ... 
 
 Automatic licences or import registrations may be extended for three months provided that 
the conditions and requirements in the original regi stration are met and there has been no change in 
the regime for any of the goods covered.  In ex ceptional cases, duly evidenced, the Subdirectorate of 
Design and Administration of Operations of the MCIT  Directorate of Foreign Trade may grant further 
extensions for successive periods of up to th ree months each, without exceeding six months. 
 
                                                     
 
1 See G/LIC/3, Annex, for the questionnaire. 
2 Article 10 of Decree 2557 of 2007 amended Article 115 of the Customs Statute (Decree 2685 of 
1999). G/LIC/N/3/COL/8 
Page 2  
 
  II. NON-AUTOMATIC LICENSING 
7. (b) If goods subject to prior or non-automatic licensing arrive at a port without a licence, 
the importer may apply for one to the MCIT Imports Committee, on his own account and under his own responsibility.  If a licence is granted, the goods must be cleared 
within one month of their arrival.
3  Otherwise, the importer must opt for 
re-exportation, abandonment or legalization, as provided in the customs legislation 
(Decree 2685 of 1999). 
 12. A fee of approximately US$15 is charged for issuing non-automatic licen ces.  Users wishing 
to access the VUCE for the first time must purchase the necessary software at an annual price of 
three minimum monthly wages.  Yearly renewal of  the service costs 1.5 minimum monthly wages.  
The MCIT Directorate of Foreign Trade publishes a circular notifying the value of the minimum 
monthly wage for the purposes of purchasing or renewing the software.  14. (Paragraph 3) 
 
 ...   Import licences may be extended by the Impor ts Committee for a period of three months 
provided that application is made before the expiry of the licence originally granted and the necessary 
justification is provided.  In exceptional and dul y evidenced cases involving specially manufactured 
capital goods or goods difficult to obtain in the intern ational market owing to  shortage of supply, 
further extensions may be granted for successive  periods of up to three months each, without 
exceeding 12 months of extension.  
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3 Article 10 of Decree 2557 of 2007 amended Article 115 of the Customs Statute (Decree 2685 of 
1999).